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Expression of epidermal growth factor receptor and vascular endothelial growth factor in vaginal squamous cell cancer
Andreas Brunner1, Christoph Grimm, Stephan Polterauer
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria. andreas.brunner@meduniwien.ac.at
Objective:
Primary invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the vagina is a rare neoplasm. Investigations concerning the potential of new therapeutic targets are limited.
Study Design:
A total of 34 patients with primary invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the vagina was identified, who were treated at our institution between 1994 and 2008. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression was assessed using immunohistochemistry from paraffin-embedded tissue blocks.
Results:
EGFR was expressed in 33 of 34 (97.1%) and VEGF was expressed in 12 of 34 cases (35.3%). There was no statistically significant relationship between clinicopathologic parameters (clinical stage, grading, tumor size), patient survival, and EGFR and VEGF expression.
Conclusion:
VEGF was moderate and EGFR was frequently expressed in invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the vagina. In our sample size, immunohistochemical staining was not statistically significantly associated with prognosis.
Insights
Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) are frequently expressed in vaginal squamous cell carcinoma. However, their expression did not correlate with patient prognosis in this study.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Pathology
Background:
- Primary invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the vagina is a rare malignancy.
- Research into novel therapeutic targets for this cancer is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in vaginal squamous cell carcinoma.
- To assess the potential correlation between EGFR and VEGF expression and clinicopathologic parameters or patient survival.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 34 patients with primary invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the vagina treated between 1994 and 2008.
- Immunohistochemistry was used to evaluate EGFR and VEGF expression in tumor tissue samples.
Main Results:
- EGFR expression was observed in 97.1% (33/34) of cases.
- VEGF expression was found in 35.3% (12/34) of cases.
- No statistically significant association was found between EGFR or VEGF expression and clinical stage, grading, tumor size, or patient survival.
Conclusions:
- EGFR is frequently expressed, and VEGF is moderately expressed in invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the vagina.
- In this study, immunohistochemical expression of EGFR and VEGF was not significantly associated with prognosis in patients with vaginal squamous cell carcinoma.
